It will be Nov/Dec before we go even though the wedding is in July so it gives us chance to save a few more pennies.

However l am clueless - ordered couple of LP guides to start research but apart from that nothing. My fiance was posted in Belize many years ago (though most of his time was spent drunk l should think!) but has started with the Belize City is one of the most dangerous in world blah blah. Now this doesnt put me off and l would hope we wouldnt be hanging out much in cities when there are jungles and beaches and Mayan ruins to go see do. BUT l thought l ask here where people know best!

Also any suggestions of an itinerary - dont have v much time maybe 14-16 nights and would like to be active but maybe have some down time too enjoying sun sea and sand - cos well it is our honeymonn!

Any advice welcome people - things to do and see, activities, avoid, visa weather stay food etc etc - like l said lm clueless at this stage!

I haven't been to any of those places but I do recommend you check them out in TP's wiki Travel Guide to start. I'm sure it's had quite a bit of information added since the last time you visited it. The LP guides were a good choice too.

We're headed to Barbados on March 1st so I'll be checking the guides too. Our accommodation and K's airfare has been taken care of via the brewery. But, I want to know what people have to say about the island and the highlights.

Nope - Barbados and VACATION!!!! No brewery business involved. Sand, sea, sun and rum. (Okay, and a few Banks Brewery beers.)

I figured you'd forgotten about the wiki and it has grown. I'm not sure if Michael (Utrecht) has been to Belize but maybe.. I'll also look into what jabs and meds you may need - probably none. But, don't forget the gravol!! Do you have 'Sea Bands' for your wrists? (I can't remember if you got them for the OZ trip and/or dive training.)

Also, my sister-in-law and her husband absolutely love the Zihuatanejo area of Mexico. On the Caribbean, quaint but still things to do. They try to spend the month of February there. (Deb's MS didn't allow that to happen this year. But, she now just got a scooter chair so they can travel again. They also say "HI!".) I'm sorry, but Zihua is not covered in the TP wiki.

For Central America:14-16 days it's short time, "running trough" 3 country is technically possible, but it's waste of time. If u want combination of jungle, Mayan ruines and beaches you should take South Mexico, which have all three. It's a bit "bitten" touristic spot, but it answers your expectations.

My personal nu one favorite of these three will be Guatemala and Guatemala only, but there is a problem - they almost don't have a sea cost (it "cut off" for Belize). Guatemala also is much more adventure and less "vacation". So, if you begin with active 10 days in Gua - you may do third part of honeymoon in Belize - sea and sun type or do same in Mexico.

Oh thank you Vanessa - l kinda thought we were pushing it trying to take in 3 countries over such a short span of time.

If anything it will most likely be Southern Mexico & Belize but l need to start to understand what it is we would like too do. It is our honeymoon so we do want a bit of down time chilling out and trying to squash in too much will leave us wanting another break when we get back!

Guatemala may well be somewhere for another time - we will have to fly into Mexico l should think as regards flights from the UK and therefore it makes common sense to start our trip there.

G - a holiday and break with beer visits - cant be bad!! Time to catch up on some much needed dive time and chill out time and vacation time - just what doc ordered eh!! V jealous!!

Im NOT so bad with boats these days - as long as they are laid back and chilled not out on the ocean wave!! Nothing worked in OZ/NZ (though l got EVERYTHING!) - the diving l only did the introductory cos l took a cold day 3 and dive master refused to take me any further! Got prescribed meds for SA and shark diving but they knocked me out and l slept through everything - however no sea sickness LOL!!

My jabs are outta date Paul is right smack bang up to date with his latest working holiday!! So l will likely need to get a few but well time is aplenty not going until end of year!! That is of course unless Paul gets sent on another trip somewhere hot and sandy and l shall then bloody well honeymoon alone!!

:-)wowyeah, GUa is more backpacking then honeymoon, bt really keep it in your list. When i asked "which countries in C.Am to choose for a short break" I always say "Guatemala" - u see, G. has abt 95% of everything that whole CA has. So, getting there you take "all in one", already "packed" Butif u have to go Mexico 1st - so, let it b. As i know they have there also dive. RU going to do a dive course or what? u said u did intro only. It should b not that wavy like an ocean, normally it quite flat. Dont worry.I dived in this area (in Honduras, it s the same reef going from Mexico to Nicaragua, so , it's the same sea-life there). There r very nice dives. Belize is good for dive as well and should b good for chilling

I think l will finish my PADI off yes, if possible - fiance has his rescue dive qualifications so he will want to dive and l would like to be able to dive with him - l just want the basic PADI l dont need anything else l wont be diving in UK!!

Im visiting travel agent tomorrow and instead of a gift list we have a donation list for travel vouchers so hopefully they will be able to direct - plus the agent l spoke too has travelled in Central America which is a plus.

If Guatemala is still feasible lm not going to rule it out would love to go for longer but with jobs its just not possible - no leave left

God lm looking forward to this more than the wedding - is that wrong??!!

Answer to you final question - No!! The wedding planning is good but the honeymoon planning is better.

Finish you're open water course if you can. This time, just don't let Paul go with you. Let him go out on dives with others that don't include your training. Though well-intentioned, he also caused you more stress than you needed. Your learning should be relaxed and not filled with someone else's opinions, etc. (I had to back away from Kris' training, especially his final underwater tests, because I was being to imposing. He didn't say that but I realized I was more of a hinderance than helpful.) We're now both advanced open water which we did together and it worked.

Will probably be skipping diving for just snorkeling on this trip for a couple of reasons. Doesn't matter - we love both.

Wedding planning would be great without family interference! Note to self - shouldnt bow to pressure and guilt trips!! However l do not intend to do it ever again so wont be a problem!!

Yeah G your right - l was much better on day 2 when Paul went off on a dive without me!! However dang cold got in the way!! Plus l was trying to cram it into too short a time - but at least l learnt the lesson and what l need to do before hand is build up my swimming confidence! However if we only end up snorkelling lm happy with that too!

Plus there seem to be some amazing Mayan ruins to visit as well - ordered couple of guides and have had a trawl through the wiki. Just need Paul home (ONE MONTH ish count down!!) and then we can concentrate on important things!!

Its been so long since lve travelled properly that l cannot wait to explore and adventure again!!